Lawyers who knowingly subject their colleagues to sexism or harassment in the court room could face penalties following a new ruling.

The American Bar Association has passed a measure to prohibit lawyers targeting a person’s race, religion, sex or disability – the first time such a national ethics rule has been imposed in the legal profession.

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Michele Dauber, a professor of law at Stanford, told The Independent that the rules will help to ensure the court room is free of discrimination and that clients are not disadvantaged as a result.

“This is 2016 and we need to make sure that the legal profession is protecting all members of the bar, regardless of gender or any other protected characteristic, from harassment and discrimination,” she said.